Fear is necessary, it keeps us alive and acts as a protector however, it can also be detrimental and hold us back from taking risks, growing, and creating our dream life.
Luckily for us… and you, we had the pleasure of interviewing Larry Armour, a regular customer of ours who didn’t let fear or his circumstances stand in his way. In fact, he jumped right in. He quit his corporate job, started buying and selling merchandise and built something from nothing, in what seems like a blink of an eye.
Larry’s now been reselling online for four years and contrary to what most will tell you he… well, we’ll let him tell you… "I buy everything! Because you never know when someone might be looking for that one item in your pallet."
In this interview, we had the pleasure of following Larry through his journey where he drops golden nuggets, hints, tip’s and lessons about getting started in the online resale world and now you do to.
Here are 5 takes Larry touched base on for up and comers.
#1: Clean out your closet.
An excellent way to get started, clean out your “closet” and make money is by rounding up all the items around the house you no longer utilize and have a yard sale, yup, a yard sale. Simple as that!
#2: It doesn’t take much.
People think you need thousands and thousands of dollars to get started. You don’t!
Larry started his business by investing $100. He purchased a general merchandise pallet from VWM program and was instantly hooked.
He had so much success right off the bat that he came back the next day for more!
#3: eBay, eBay, eBay!
As they all offer something different, Larry utilizes *multiple online sales platforms such as Offer Up, Facebook Marketplace & Mercari but he practically lives on eBay since it allows you to create a personalized brand for yourself.
"Many of my customers who contact me through Instagram, I send them my eBay username, and they recognize me by my brand. And so, it becomes easier for them to buy since they know that I am a real person and not a scam."
IMPORTANT!
Larry touches base on how scammers are on the lookout for newcomers and as such recommends consumers do their research to find out if they’re buying from a legitimate source or not and most importantly, read the seller/buyer protection policies on each platform in detail to know how you’re protected in case of fraud.
#4: Don't fall in love with your merchandise
"It’s normal for us to fall in love with our merchandise, especially if we know its value. Many people try to sell merchandise at or near the original store price. If you can't sell it in the first few weeks, it may be time to lower the price. It’s normal not to want to lose those extra pennies, and we opt to keep them in our closet for months. I prefer to sell them at a fair price and be able to make some income rather than no income".
#5 It’s not you, or me… it’s the presentation
Larry went on to explain that it’s more so the presentation, the spiel and the gift of the gab that will sell your product, not you or your consumers needs/wants.
"My mother is deaf, and as a way of earning an income, my mother sold items to hold toilet paper […] I remember very vividly that people would slam the door in my face whenever we went out to sell (as a kid). One day, I was tired of doors slamming in my face, so I promised myself that this would be the last door that would close in my face [...], So I changed my way of presenting the product, and I added value to the product. I started telling people why I was selling, the situation I was in, and how great it would look in their restroom, and from there, I began to love the business."
The point above by itself is proof that we’re the only thing standing in our way. Larry could’ve easily accepted that doors were going to be slammed on his face and quit but he had other plans.
Check out the full interview in the link below to follow Larry on his journey and submerge yourself in all the knowledge he graces us with.
Make sure to bring something to write with and on so you don’t miss anything.
If you need more information on starting your business and taking steps, I invite you to read "Tips for eBay"
Learn about additional sales platforms - "How to Make Money While You Sleep?"
If you’re already in business and are looking for products, click here.
If you don't have a business yet and you're thinking about starting one, click here to see the opportunities available to you.
